SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 28, 2015

 

 

STERLING BANCORP

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-35385   80-0091851

(State or Other Jurisdiction)

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File No.)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

400 Rella Boulevard, Montebello, New York   10901
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (845) 369-8040

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2 below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 5.03 Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year

On May 28, 2015, Sterling Bancorp (the “Company”) held its 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, at which the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment and restatement to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation to declassify the Board of Directors and require that each director stand for election annually. A copy of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”), also amended as of May 28, 2015 to declassify the Board of Directors, is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

On May 28, 2015, the Company held its 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, at which the Company’s stockholders considered five (5) proposals, each of which is described in more detail in the Company’s proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 17, 2015. There were 91,116,610 outstanding shares entitled to vote and there were 85,045,594 shares present in person or by proxy, representing 93% of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote. The voting results are presented below.

1. Election of all current directors for a one (1) year term until their successors are elected and qualified, if Proposal 2 to declassify the Board of Directors is approved; if Proposal 2 is not approved, then the election of each of Louis J. Cappelli, Navy E. Djonovic, Fernando Ferrer, and Thomas G. Kahn for a three (3) year term and until their successors are elected and qualified.

Because Proposal 2 to declassify the Board of Directors received the affirmative vote of at least 80% of all outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock as required by its Certificate of Incorporation, the Company’s Board of Directors is now declassified. The results of the election of all directors to serve a one (1) year term ending in 2016 or until their successors are elected and qualified are as follows:

 

Nominee

   For      Withheld      Broker Non-Votes 1  

Robert Abrams

     72,051,403         4,365,639         8,628,552   

Louis J. Cappelli

     74,902,692         1,514,350         8,628,552   

James F. Deutsch

     75,852,262         564,780         8,628,552   

Navy E. Djonovic

     75,821,875         595,167         8,628,552   

Fernando Ferrer

     75,232,770         1,184,272         8,628,552   

William F. Helmer

     75,116,851         1,300,191         8,628,552   

Thomas G. Kahn

     75,523,794         893,248         8,628,552   

James B. Klein

     75,611,438         805,604         8,628,552   

Jack L. Kopnisky

     75,750,003         667,039         8,628,552   

Robert W. Lazar

     75,768,104         648,938         8,628,552   

John C. Millman

     74,910,467         1,506,575         8,628,552   

Richard O’Toole

     75,768,626         648,416         8,628,552   

Burt B. Steinberg

     74,991,142         1,425,900         8,628,552   

 

1  

A broker non-vote occurs when a broker, bank or other nominee holding shares for a beneficial owner does not vote on a particular proposal because the nominee does not have discretionary voting power with respect to the item and has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner of the shares it holds. Broker non-votes are counted when determining whether the necessary quorum of stockholders is present or represented at each annual meeting.


2. Approval of an amendment to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation to declassify the Board of Directors. The results were as follows:

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-Votes 1

75,735,617   436,962   244,463   8,628,552

3. Approval of the new Sterling Bancorp 2015 Omnibus Equity and Incentive Plan.

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-Votes 1

71,929,776   2,148,370   2,338,896   8,628,552

4. Approval, by non-binding vote, of the compensation of the Named Executive Officers (Say-on-Pay).

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-Votes 1

73,369,354   2,757,654   290,034   8,628,552

5. Ratification of the appointment of Crowe Horwath LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015.

 

For

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Broker Non-Votes 1

83,911,771   875,121   258,702   —  

 

Item 9.01 Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

3.1    Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
3.2    Amended and Restated Bylaws


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

 

STERLING BANCORP
Date: June 1, 2015 By:

/s/ Luis Massiani

Luis Massiani
Senior Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer

Exhibit 3.1

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

OF

STERLING BANCORP

(Pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the Delaware General Corporation Law

of the State of Delaware)

(name changed to Provident New York Bancorp 6/29/05;

name changed to Sterling Bancorp 10/31/13)

Pursuant to Section 242 and Section 245 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, Sterling Bancorp, a Delaware corporation, has adopted this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (“ Certificate of Incorporation ”) restating, integrating and further amending its Certificate of Incorporation originally filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on June 30, 2003. This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (i) has been duly proposed by the directors of the Corporation, (ii) has been duly approved and adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, held on May 28, 2015, at which a quorum of stockholders were present and voting, and (iii) has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

FIRST :  The name of the Corporation is Sterling Bancorp (hereinafter referred to as the “Corporation”).

SECOND :  The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle. The name of the registered agent at that address is Corporation Service Company.

THIRD :  The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a corporation may be organized under the General Corporation Law of Delaware.

FOURTH :

A. The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is two hundred million (200,000,000) consisting of:

1. Ten million (10,000,000) shares of Preferred Stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Preferred Stock”); and

2. One hundred and ninety million (190,000,000) shares of Common Stock, par value one cent ($0.01) per share (the “Common Stock”).

B. The Board of Directors is authorized, subject to any limitations prescribed by law, to provide for the issuance of the shares of Preferred Stock in series, and by filing a certificate pursuant to the applicable law of the State of Delaware (such certificate being hereinafter referred to as a “Preferred Stock Designation”), to establish from time to time the number of shares to be included in each such series, and to fix the designation, powers, preferences, and rights of the shares of each such series and any qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof. The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Common Stock, without a vote of the holders of the Preferred Stock, or of any series thereof, unless a vote of any such holders is required pursuant to the terms of any Preferred Stock Designation.

C. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or the bylaws of the Corporation, in no event shall any record owner of any outstanding Common Stock which is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by a person who, as of any record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to vote on any matter, beneficially owns in excess of 10% of the then—outstanding shares of Common Stock (the “Limit”), be entitled, or permitted to any vote in respect of the shares held in excess of the Limit. The number of votes which may be cast by any record owner by virtue of the provisions hereof in respect of Common Stock beneficially owned by such person owning shares in excess of the Limit shall be a number equal to the total number of votes which a single record owner of all Common Stock owned by such person would be entitled to cast subject to this Section C of this Article FOURTH, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of such class or series which are both beneficially owned by such person and owned of record by such record owner and the denominator of which is the total number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such person owning shares in excess of the Limit.

 

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2. The following definitions shall apply to this Section C of this Article FOURTH:

 

  (a) “Affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Rule 12b—2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on the date of filing of this Certificate of Incorporation.

 

  (b) “Beneficial ownership” shall be determined pursuant to Rule 13d—3 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (or any successor rule or statutory provision), or, if said Rule 13d—3 shall be rescinded and there shall be no successor rule or statutory provision thereto, pursuant to said Rule 13d—3 as in effect on the date of filing of this Certificate of Incorporation; provided, however, that a person shall, in any event, also be deemed the “beneficial owner” of any Common Stock:

 

  (1) which such person or any of its Affiliates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly; or

 

  (2) which such person or any of its Affiliates has (i) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (but shall not be deemed to be the beneficial owner of any voting shares solely by reason of an agreement, contract, or other arrangement with this Corporation to effect any transaction which is described in any one or more clauses of Section A of Article EIGHTH) or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants, or options or otherwise, or (ii) sole or shared voting or investment power with respect thereto pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise (but shall not be deemed to be the beneficial owner of any voting shares solely by reason of a revocable proxy granted for a particular meeting of stockholders, pursuant to a public solicitation of proxies for such meeting, with respect to shares of which neither such person nor any such Affiliate is otherwise deemed the beneficial owner); or

 

  (3) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other person with which such first mentioned person or any of its Affiliates acts as a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or other group pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of any shares of capital stock of this Corporation;

and provided further, however, that (1) no Director or Officer of this Corporation (or any Affiliate of any such Director or Officer) shall, solely by reason of any or all of such Directors or Officers acting in their capacities as such, be deemed, for any purposes hereof, to beneficially own any Common Stock beneficially owned by another such Director or Officer (or any Affiliate thereof), and (2) neither any employee stock ownership plan or similar plan of this Corporation or any subsidiary of this Corporation, nor any trustee with respect thereto or any Affiliate of such trustee (solely by reason of such capacity of such trustee), shall be deemed, for any purposes hereof, to beneficially own any Common Stock held under any such plan. For purposes of computing the percentage of beneficial ownership of Common Stock of a person, the outstanding Common Stock shall include shares deemed owned by such person through application of this subsection but shall not include any other Common Stock which may be issuable by this Corporation pursuant to any agreement, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise. For all other purposes, the outstanding Common Stock shall include only Common Stock then outstanding and shall not include any Common Stock which may be issuable by this Corporation pursuant to any agreement, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise.

 

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  (c) A “person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, or other entity.

3. The Board of Directors shall have the power to construe and apply the provisions of this Section C of Article FOURTH and to make all determinations necessary or desirable to implement such provisions, including but not limited to matters with respect to (i) the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by any person, (ii) whether a person is an Affiliate of another, (iii) whether a person has an agreement, arrangement, or understanding with another as to the matters referred to in the definition of beneficial ownership, (iv) the application of any other definition or operative provision of this section to the given facts, or (v) any other matter relating to the applicability or effect of this Section C of Article FOURTH.

4. The Board of Directors shall have the right to demand that any person who is reasonably believed to beneficially own Common Stock in excess of the Limit (or holds of record Common Stock beneficially owned by any person in excess of the Limit) supply the Corporation with complete information as to (i) the record owner(s) of all shares beneficially owned by such person who is reasonably believed to own shares in excess of the Limit, and (ii) any other factual matter relating to the applicability or effect of this Section C of Article FOURTH as may reasonably be requested of such person.

5. Except as otherwise provided by law or expressly provided in this Section C of Article FOURTH, the presence, in person or by proxy, of holders of a majority of the shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at the meeting (after giving effect, if required, to the provisions of this Section C of Article FOURTH) shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders (unless or except to the extent that the presence of a larger number may be required by law), and every reference in this Certificate of Incorporation to a majority or other proportion of capital stock (or the holders thereof) for purposes of determining any quorum requirement or any requirement for stockholder consent or approval shall be deemed to refer to such majority or other proportion of the votes (or the holders thereof) then entitled to be cast in respect of such capital stock (after giving effect, if required, to the provisions of this Section C of Article FOURTH).

6. Any constructions, applications, or determinations made by the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section C of Article FOURTH in good faith and on the basis of such information and assistance as was then reasonably available for such purpose shall be conclusive and binding upon the Corporation and its stockholders.

7. In the event any provision (or portion thereof) of this Section C of Article FOURTH shall be found to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining provisions (or portions thereof) of this Section C of Article FOURTH shall remain in full force and effect, and shall be construed as if such invalid, prohibited or unenforceable provision had been stricken herefrom or otherwise rendered inapplicable, it being the intent of this Corporation and its stockholders that such remaining provision (or portion thereof) of this section remain, to the fullest extent permitted by law, applicable and enforceable as to all stockholders, including stockholders owning an amount of stock over the Limit, notwithstanding any such finding.

FIFTH :  The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation, and for further definition, limitation and regulation of the powers of the Corporation and of its Directors and stockholders:

A. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. In addition to the powers and authority expressly conferred upon them by statute or by this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Corporation, the Directors are hereby empowered to exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.

 

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B. The Directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide. Stockholders shall not be permitted to cumulate their votes for the election of Directors.

C. Subject to the rights of any class or series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.

D. Special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called (i) by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directorships (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board for adoption) (the “Whole Board”) or (ii) as otherwise provided in the Bylaws.

SIXTH :

A. The number of Directors shall be fixed from time to time exclusively by the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board.

At the 2015 annual meeting of stockholders, and at each annual meeting thereafter, each Director shall be elected to serve for a one-year term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is elected.

B. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of Directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or other cause may be filled only by a majority vote of the Directors then in office, though less than a quorum, and Directors so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the next annual meeting of stockholders. No decrease in the number of Directors constituting the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director.

C. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of Directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

D. Subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, any Director, or the entire Board of Directors, may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80 percent of the voting power of all of the then—outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors (after giving effect to the provisions of Article FOURTH of this Certificate of Incorporation (“Article FOURTH”)), voting together as a single class.

SEVENTH : The Board of Directors is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the Board of Directors shall require the approval of the majority of the Whole Board. The stockholders shall also have power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80 percent of the voting power of all of the then—outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors (after giving effect to the provisions of Article FOURTH), voting together as a single class, shall be required to adopt, amend or repeal any provisions of the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

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EIGHTH :

A. In addition to any affirmative vote required by law or this Certificate of Incorporation, and except as otherwise expressly provided in this section:

1. any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any Subsidiary (as hereinafter defined) with (i) any Interested Stockholder (as hereinafter defined) or (ii) any other corporation (whether or not itself an Interested Stockholder) which is, or after such merger or consolidation would be, an Affiliate (as hereinafter defined) of an Interested Stockholder; or

2. any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) to or with any Interested Stockholder, or any Affiliate of any Interested Stockholder, of any assets of the Corporation or any Subsidiary having an aggregate Fair Market Value (as hereinafter defined) equaling or exceeding 25% or more of the combined assets of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries; or

3. the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or any Subsidiary (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of any securities of the Corporation or any Subsidiary to any Interested Stockholder or any Affiliate of any Interested Stockholder in exchange for cash, securities or other property (or a combination thereof) having an aggregate Fair Market Value (as hereinafter defined) equaling or exceeding 25% of the combined Fair Market Value of the then—outstanding common stock of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, except pursuant to an employee benefit plan of the Corporation or any Subsidiary thereof; or

4. the adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation proposed by or on behalf of an Interested Stockholder or any Affiliate of an Interested Stockholder; or

5. any reclassification or combination of securities, or recapitalization of the Corporation, or any merger or consolidation of the Corporation with any of its Subsidiaries or any other transaction (whether or not with or into or otherwise involving an Interested Stockholder) which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportional share of the outstanding shares of any class of equity or convertible securities of the Corporation or any Subsidiary which is directly or indirectly owned by an Interested Stockholder or any Affiliate of an Interested Stockholder;

shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of the then—outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote in the election of Directors (the “Voting Stock”) (after giving effect to the provision of Article FOURTH), voting together as a single class. Such affirmative vote shall be required notwithstanding the fact that no vote may be required, or that a lesser percentage may be specified, by law or by any other provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation or any Preferred Stock Designation or in any agreement with any national securities exchange or otherwise.

The term “Business Combination” as used in this Article EIGHTH shall mean any transaction which is referred to in any one or more of paragraphs 1 through 5 of Section A of this Article EIGHTH.

B. The provisions of Section A of this Article EIGHTH shall not be applicable to any particular Business Combination, and such Business Combination shall require only the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote (after giving effect, if required, to the provisions of Section C of Article FOURTH), or such vote as is required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, if, in the case of any Business Combination that does not involve any cash or other consideration being received by the stockholders of the Corporation solely in their capacity as stockholders of the Corporation, the condition specified in the following paragraph 1 is met or, in the case of any other Business Combination, all of the conditions specified in either of the following paragraphs 1 or 2 are met:

1. The Business Combination shall have been approved by two—thirds of the Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined).

 

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2. All of the following conditions shall have been met:

 

  (a) The aggregate amount of the cash and the Fair Market Value as of the date of the consummation of the Business Combination of consideration other than cash to be received per share by the holders of Common Stock in such Business Combination shall at least be equal to the higher of the following:

 

  (1) (if applicable) the Highest Per Share Price (as hereinafter defined), including any brokerage commissions, transfer taxes and soliciting dealers’ fees, paid by the Interested Stockholder or any of its Affiliates for any shares of Common Stock acquired by it (i) within the two—year period immediately prior to the first public announcement of the proposal of the Business Combination (the “Announcement Date”), or (ii) in the transaction in which it became an Interested Stockholder, whichever is higher.

 

  (2) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the Announcement Date or on the date on which the Interested Stockholder became an Interested Stockholder (such latter date is referred to in this Article EIGHTH as the “Determination Date”), whichever is higher.

 

  (b) The aggregate amount of the cash and the Fair Market Value as of the date of the consummation of the Business Combination of consideration other than cash to be received per share by holders of shares of any class of outstanding Voting Stock other than Common Stock shall be at least equal to the highest of the following (it being intended that the requirements of this subparagraph (b) shall be required to be met with respect to every such class of outstanding Voting Stock, whether or not the Interested Stockholder has previously acquired any shares of a particular class of Voting Stock):

 

  (1) (if applicable) the Highest Per Share Price (as hereinafter defined), including any brokerage commissions, transfer taxes and soliciting dealers’ fees, paid by the Interested Stockholder for any shares of such class of Voting Stock acquired by it (i) within the two—year period immediately prior to the Announcement Date, or (ii) in the transaction in which it became an Interested Stockholder, whichever is higher;

 

  (2) (if applicable) the highest preferential amount per share to which the holders of shares of such class of Voting Stock are entitled in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation; and

 

  (3) the Fair Market Value per share of such class of Voting Stock on the Announcement Date or on the Determination Date, whichever is higher.

 

  (c) The consideration to be received by holders of a particular class of outstanding Voting Stock (including Common Stock) shall be in cash or in the same form as the Interested Stockholder has paid for shares of such class of Voting Stock. If the Interested Stockholder has previously paid for shares of any class of Voting Stock with varying forms of consideration, the form of consideration to be received per share by holders of shares of such class of Voting Stock shall be either cash or the form used to acquire the largest number of shares of such class of Voting Stock previously acquired by the Interested Stockholder. The price determined in accordance with subparagraph B.2 of this Article EIGHTH shall be subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares or similar event.

 

  (d) After such Interested Stockholder has become an Interested Stockholder and prior to the consummation of such Business Combination: (1) except as approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors, there shall have been no failure to declare and pay at the regular date therefor any full quarterly dividends (whether or not cumulative) on any outstanding stock having preference over the Common Stock as to dividends or liquidation; (2) there shall have been (i) no reduction in the annual rate of dividends paid on the Common Stock (except as necessary to reflect any subdivision of the Common Stock), except as approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors, and (ii) an increase in such annual rate of dividends as necessary to reflect any reclassification (including any reverse stock split), recapitalization, reorganization or any similar transaction which has the effect of reducing the number of outstanding shares of the Common Stock, unless the failure to so increase such annual rate is approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors; and (3) neither such Interested Stockholder or any of its Affiliates shall have become the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock except as part of the transaction which results in such Interested Stockholder becoming an Interested Stockholder.

 

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  (e) After such Interested Stockholder has become an Interested Stockholder, such Interested Stockholder shall not have received the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or any tax credits or other tax advantages provided by the Corporation, whether in anticipation of or in connection with such Business Combination or otherwise.

 

  (f) A proxy or information statement describing the proposed Business Combination and complying with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations thereunder (or any subsequent provisions replacing such Act, rules or regulations) shall be mailed to stockholders of the Corporation at least 30 days prior to the consummation of such Business Combination (whether or not such proxy or information statement is required to be mailed pursuant to such Act or subsequent provisions).

C. For the purposes of this Article EIGHTH:

1. A “Person” shall include an individual, a group acting in concert, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a joint venture, a pool, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated organization or similar company, a syndicate or any other group formed for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities.

2. “Interested Stockholder” shall mean any person (other than the Corporation or any holding company or Subsidiary thereof) who or which:

(a) is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 10% of the voting power of the outstanding Voting Stock; or

(b) is an Affiliate of the Corporation and at any time within the two—year period immediately prior to the date in question was the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the then—outstanding Voting Stock; or

(c) is an assignee of or has otherwise succeeded to any shares of Voting Stock which were at any time within the two—year period immediately prior to the date in question beneficially owned by an Interested Stockholder, if such assignment or succession shall have occurred in the course of a transaction or series of transactions not involving a public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933.

3. For purposes of this Article EIGHTH, “beneficial ownership” shall be determined in the manner provided in Section C of Article FOURTH hereof.

4. “Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b—2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on the date of filing of this Certificate of Incorporation.

 

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5. “Subsidiary” means any corporation of which a majority of any class of equity security is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation; provided, however, that for the purposes of the definition of Interested Stockholder set forth in paragraph 2 of this section, the term “Subsidiary” shall mean only a corporation of which a majority of each class of equity security is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation.

6. “Disinterested Director” means any member of the Board of Directors who is unaffiliated with the Interested Stockholder and was a member of the Board of Directors prior to the time that the Interested Stockholder became an Interested Stockholder, and any Director who is thereafter chosen to fill any vacancy of the Board of Directors or who is elected and who, in either event, is unaffiliated with the Interested Stockholder and in connection with his or her initial assumption of office is recommended for appointment or election by a majority of Disinterested Directors then on the Board of Directors.

7. “Fair Market Value” means: (a) in the case of stock, the highest closing sales price of the stock during the 30—day period immediately preceding the date in question of a share of such stock on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System or any system then in use, or, if such stock is admitted to trading on a principal United States securities exchange registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Fair Market Value shall be the highest sales price reported during the 30—day period preceding the date in question, or, if no such quotations are available, the Fair Market Value on the date in question of a share of such stock as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith, in each case with respect to any class of stock, appropriately adjusted for any dividend or distribution in shares of such stock or any stock split or reclassification of outstanding shares of such stock into a greater number of shares of such stock or any combination or reclassification of outstanding shares of such stock into a smaller number of shares of such stock, and (b) in the case of property other than cash or stock, the Fair Market Value of such property on the date in question as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith.

8. Reference to “Highest Per Share Price” shall in each case with respect to any class of stock reflect an appropriate adjustment for any dividend or distribution in shares of such stock or any stock split or reclassification of outstanding shares of such stock into a greater number of shares of such stock or any combination or reclassification of outstanding shares of such stock into a smaller number of shares of such stock.

9. In the event of any Business Combination in which the Corporation survives, the phrase “consideration other than cash to be received” as used in subparagraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph 2 of Section B of this Article EIGHTH shall include the shares of Common Stock and/or the shares of any other class of outstanding Voting Stock retained by the holders of such shares.

D. A majority of the Directors of the Corporation shall have the power and duty to determine for the purposes of this Article EIGHTH, on the basis of information known to them after reasonable inquiry: (a) whether a person is an Interested Stockholder; (b) the number of shares of Voting Stock beneficially owned by any person; (c) whether a person is an Affiliate or Associate of another; and (d) whether the assets which are the subject of any Business Combination have, or the consideration to be received for the issuance or transfer of securities by the Corporation or any Subsidiary in any Business Combination has, an aggregate Fair Market Value equaling or exceeding 25% of the combined Fair Market Value of the common stock of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries. A majority of the Directors shall have the further power to interpret all of the terms and provisions of this Article EIGHTH.

E. Nothing contained in this Article EIGHTH shall be construed to relieve any Interested Stockholder from any fiduciary obligation imposed by law.

F. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the Voting Stock required by law, this Certificate of Incorporation or any Preferred Stock Designation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80 percent of the voting power of all of the then—outstanding shares of the Voting Stock, voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend or repeal this Article EIGHTH.

NINTH : The Board of Directors of the Corporation, when evaluating any offer of another Person (as defined in Article EIGHTH hereof) to (A) make a tender or exchange offer for any equity security of the Corporation, (B) merge or consolidate the Corporation with another corporation or entity or (C) purchase or otherwise acquire all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Corporation, may, in connection with the exercise of its judgment in determining what is in the best interest of the Corporation and its stockholders, give due consideration to all relevant factors, including, without limitation, the social and economic effect of acceptance of such offer on: the Corporation’s present and future customers and employees and those of its Subsidiaries (as defined in Article EIGHTH hereof); the communities in which the Corporation and its Subsidiaries operate or are located; the ability of the Corporation to fulfill its corporate objectives as a savings or bank holding company; and the ability of its subsidiary bank to fulfill its corporate objectives under applicable statutes and regulations.

 

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TENTH :

A. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a Director or an Officer of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a Director, Officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a Director, Officer, employee or agent or in any other capacity while serving as a Director, Officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section C hereof with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall indemnify any such indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

B. The right to indemnification conferred in Section A of this Article TENTH shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”); provided, however, that, if the Delaware General Corporation Law requires, an advancement of expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a Director or Officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made only upon delivery to the Corporation of an undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified for such expenses under this Section or otherwise. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in Sections A and B of this Article TENTH shall be contract rights and such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a Director, Officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators.

C. If a claim under Section A or B of this Article TENTH is not paid in full by the Corporation within sixty days after a written claim has been received by the Corporation, except in the case of a claim for an advancement of expenses, in which case the applicable period shall be twenty days, the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim. If successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In (i) any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that, and (ii) in any suit by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Delaware General Corporation Law, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article TENTH or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

 

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D. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in this Article TENTH shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested Directors or otherwise.

E. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any Director, Officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

F. The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article TENTH with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of Directors and Officers of the Corporation.

ELEVENTH :  A Director of this Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a Director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the Director’s duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction from which the Director derived an improper personal benefit. If the Delaware General Corporation Law is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of Directors, then the liability of a Director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, as so amended.

Any repeal or modification of the foregoing paragraph by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a Director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

TWELFTH The Corporation reserves the right to amend or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in the manner prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware and all rights conferred upon stockholders are granted subject to this reservation; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of the stock of the Corporation required by law or by this Certificate of Incorporation, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 80 percent of the voting power of all of the then—outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors (after giving effect to the provisions of Article FOURTH), voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend or repeal this Article TWELFTH, Section C of Article FOURTH, Sections C or D of Article FIFTH, Article SIXTH, Article SEVENTH, Article EIGHTH or Article TENTH.

 

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THIRTEENTH : The name and mailing address of the sole incorporator are as follows:

 

Name

 

Mailing Address

Edward A. Quint   5335 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.
  Suite 400
  Washington, D.C. 20015

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by Jack L. Kopnisky, President and Chief Executive Officer, as of the 28 th day of May 2015.

 

/s/ Jack L. Kopnisky

By: Jack L. Kopnisky
Its: President and Chief Executive Officer

 

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Exhibit 3.2

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

STERLING BANCORP

ARTICLE I - STOCKHOLDERS

 

Section 1. Annual Meeting.

A. An annual meeting of the stockholders, for the election of Directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as the Board of Directors shall each year fix.

B. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of business to be transacted by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (a) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice with respect to such meeting, (b) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (c) by any stockholder of record of the Corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time of the giving of the notice provided for in the following paragraph, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with the notice procedures set forth in this section.

C. For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (c) of the foregoing paragraph, (1) the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation, (2) such business must be a proper matter for stockholder action under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, (3) if the stockholder, or the beneficial owner on whose behalf any such proposal or nomination is made, has provided the Corporation with a Solicitation Notice, as that term is defined in sub clause (c)(iii) of this paragraph, such stockholder or beneficial owner must, in the case of a proposal, have delivered a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s voting shares required under applicable law to carry any such proposal, or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, have delivered a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of a percentage of the Corporation’s voting shares reasonably believed by such stockholder or beneficial holder to be sufficient to elect the nominee or nominees proposed to be nominated by such stockholder, and must, in either case, have included in such materials the Solicitation Notice and (4) if no Solicitation Notice relating thereto has been timely provided pursuant to this section, the stockholder or beneficial owner proposing such business or nomination must not have solicited a number of proxies sufficient to have required the delivery of such a Solicitation Notice under this section. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than 90 days prior to the date of the Corporation’s proxy materials for the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders (“Proxy Statement Date”); provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than 30 days prior to or delayed by more than 30 days after the anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth (a) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director all information relating to such person as would be required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the elections of such nominees as directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and such person’s written consent to serve as a director if elected; (b) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of such business, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; (c) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class and number of shares of the Corporation that are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner and (iii) whether either such stockholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of, in the case of a proposal, at least the percentage of the Corporation’s voting shares required under applicable law to carry the proposal or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, a sufficient number of holders of the Corporation’s voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees (an affirmative statement of such intent, a “Solicitation Notice”).

 

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D. Notwithstanding anything in the second sentence of the third paragraph of this Section 1 to the contrary, in the event that the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors is increased and there is no public announcement naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors made by the Corporation at least 85 days prior to the Proxy Statement Date, a stockholder’s notice required by this Bylaw shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

E. Only persons nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1 shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at an annual meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section. The chairman of the meeting shall have the power and the duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting has been made in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defectively proposed business or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded.

F. For purposes of these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or a comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

G. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 1. Nothing in this Section 1 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

 

Section 2. Special Meetings.

A. Special meetings of the stockholders, other than those required by statute, may be called at any time by the Board of Directors acting pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Whole Board. For purposes of these Bylaws, the term “Whole Board” shall mean the total number of authorized directors whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships. The Board of Directors may postpone or reschedule any previously scheduled special meeting.

B. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (a) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or (b) by any stockholder of record of the Corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time of giving of notice provided for in this paragraph, who shall be entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in Section 1 of this ARTICLE I. Nominations by stockholders of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at such a special meeting of stockholders if the stockholder’s notice required by the third paragraph of Section 1 of this ARTICLE I shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such special meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Directors to be elected as such meeting.

C. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to matters set forth in this Section 2. Nothing in this Section 2 shall be deemed to affect any rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.

 

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Section 3. Notice of Meetings.

Written notice of the place, date, and time of all meetings of the stockholders shall be given, not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date on which the meeting is to be held, to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law (meaning, here and hereinafter, as required from time to time by the Delaware General Corporation Law or the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation).

When a meeting is adjourned to another place, date or time, written notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the place, date and time thereof are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken; provided, however, that if the date of any adjourned meeting is more than thirty (30) days after the date for which the meeting was originally noticed, or if a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, written notice of the place, date, and time of the adjourned meeting shall be given in conformity herewith. At any adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.

 

Section 4. Quorum.

At any meeting of the stockholders, the holders of a majority of all of the shares of the stock entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or by proxy (after giving effect to the provisions of ARTICLE FOURTH of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation), shall constitute a quorum for all purposes, unless or except to the extent that the presence of a larger number may be required by law. Where a separate vote by a class or classes is required, a majority of those represented in person or by proxy (after giving effect to the provisions of ARTICLE FOURTH of the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation) shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to that vote on that matter.

If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, the chairman of the meeting or the holders of a majority of the shares of stock entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, may adjourn the meeting to another place, date, or time.

If a notice of any adjourned special meeting of stockholders is sent to all stockholders entitled to vote thereat, stating that it will be held with those present in person or by proxy constituting a quorum, then except as otherwise required by law, those present in person or by proxy at such adjourned meeting shall constitute a quorum, and all matters shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast at such meeting.

 

Section 5. Organization.

Such person as the Board of Directors may have designated or, in the absence of such a person, the Chairman of the Board of the Corporation or, in his or her absence, such person as may be chosen by the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote who are present, in person or by proxy, shall call to order any meeting of the stockholders and act as chairman of the meeting. In the absence of the Secretary of the Corporation, the secretary of the meeting shall be such person as the chairman appoints.

 

Section 6. Conduct of Business.

The chairman of any meeting of stockholders shall determine the order of business and the procedures at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of discussion as seem to him or her in order. The date and time of the opening and closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders, will vote at the meeting shall be announced at the meeting.

 

Section 7. Proxies and Voting.

At any meeting of the stockholders, every stockholder entitled to vote may vote in person or by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting. Any facsimile telecommunication or other reliable reproduction of the writing or transmission created pursuant to this paragraph, may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or transmission could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile telecommunication or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or transmission.

 

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All voting, including on the election of Directors but excepting where otherwise required by law or by the governing documents of the Corporation, may be made by a voice vote; provided, however, that upon demand therefore by a stockholder entitled to vote or his or her proxy, a stock vote shall be taken. Every stock vote shall be taken by ballot, each of which shall state the name of the stockholder or proxy voting and such other information as may be required under the procedures established for the meeting. The Corporation shall, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the person presiding at the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his ability.

All elections of Directors shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast, and except as otherwise required by law, all other matters shall be determined by a majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively.

 

Section 8. Stock List.

A complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders, arranged in alphabetical order for each class of stock and showing the address of each such stockholder and the number of shares registered in his or her name, shall be open to the examination of any such stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting in the manner provided by law.

The stock list shall also be open to the examination of any such stockholder during the whole time of the meeting as provided by law. This list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them.

 

Section 9. Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting.

Subject to the rights of the holders of any class of series of preferred stock of the Corporation, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.

ARTICLE II - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 1. General Powers, Number and Term of Office.

The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be under the direction of its Board of Directors. The number of Directors who shall constitute the Whole Board shall be such number as the Board of Directors shall from time to time have designated, except in the absence of such designation such number shall be thirteen (13). The Board of Directors shall annually elect a Chairman of the Board from among its members who shall, when present, preside at its meetings.

The Directors shall be elected and hold office for the terms provided in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation.

 

Section 2. Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships.

Subject to the rights of the holders of any class or series of Preferred Stock, and unless the Board of Directors otherwise determines, newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or any vacancies in the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office, or other cause may be filled only by a majority vote of the Directors then in office (and not by stockholders), though less than a quorum, and each Director so chosen shall have the same remaining term as that of his or her predecessor and until such Director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified. No decrease in the number of authorized directors constituting the Board shall shorten the term of any incumbent Director.

 

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Section 3. Regular Meetings.

Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at such place or places, on such date or dates, and at such time or times as shall have been established by the Board of Directors and publicized among all Directors. A notice of each regular meeting shall not be required.

 

Section 4. Special Meetings.

Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by one-third (1/3) of the Directors then in office (rounded up to the nearest whole number), by the Chairman of the Board, or the President and shall be held at such place, on such date, and at such time as they, or he or she, shall fix. Notice of the place, date, and time of each such special meeting shall be given each Director by whom it is not waived by mailing notice not less than two (2) days before the meeting or by telegraphing or telexing or by facsimile transmission or electronic transmission of the same not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.

 

Section 5. Quorum.

At any meeting of the Board of Directors, a majority of the Whole Board shall constitute a quorum for all purposes. If a quorum shall fail to attend any meeting, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting to another place, date, or time, without further notice or waiver thereof.

 

Section 6. Participation in Meetings By Conference Telephone.

With the approval of the Chairman of the Board, or the person acting in that capacity, members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of such Board by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other. Such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meetings.

 

Section 7. Conduct of Business.

At any meeting of the Board of Directors, business shall be transacted in such order and manner as the Board may from time to time determine, and all matters shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the Directors present, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law. Action may be taken by the Board of Directors without a meeting if all members thereof consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

Section 8. Powers.

The Board of Directors may, except as otherwise required by law, exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the unqualified power:

(1) To declare dividends, from time to time in accordance with law;

(2) To purchase or otherwise acquire any property, rights or privileges on such terms as it shall determine;

(3) To authorize the creation, making and issuance, in such form as it may determine, of written obligations of every kind, negotiable or non-negotiable, secured or unsecured, and to do all things necessary in connection therewith;

 

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(4) To remove any Officer of the Corporation with or without cause, and from time to time to devolve the powers and duties of any Officer upon any other person for the time being;

(5) To confer upon any Officer of the Corporation the power to appoint, remove and suspend subordinate Officers, employees and agents;

(6) To adopt from time to time such stock option, stock purchase, bonus or other compensation plans for Directors, Officers, employees and agents of the Corporation and its subsidiaries as it may determine;

(7) To adopt from time to time such insurance, retirement, and other benefit plans for Directors, Officers, employees and agents of the Corporation and its subsidiaries as it may determine; and,

(8) To adopt from time to time regulations, not inconsistent with these Bylaws, for the management of the Corporation’s business and affairs.

 

Section 9. Compensation of Directors.

Directors, as such, may receive, pursuant to resolution of the Board of Directors, fixed fees and other compensation for their services as Directors, including, without limitation, their services as members of committees of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 10. Chairman and CEO Positions; Board Composition.

(a) The Board of Directors has resolved that, effective as of the Effective Time (as defined in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 3, 2013, by and between Sterling Bancorp (“ Sterling ”) and the Corporation, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “ Merger Agreement ”)) and notwithstanding any other provision of these Bylaws that may be to the contrary, Louis J. Cappelli shall serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Jack Kopnisky shall serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

(b) Effective as of the Effective Time, the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be comprised of thirteen (13) directors, of which seven (7) shall be former members of the Board of Directors of the Corporation chosen by the Corporation (the “ Former Provident Directors ”), including Jack Kopnisky, and six (6) of which shall be former members of the Board of Directors of Sterling chosen by Sterling (the “ Former Sterling Directors ”), including Louis J. Cappelli and John Millman, and the Former Sterling Directors and Former Provident Directors shall be apportioned among the three classes of the Board of Directors as nearly evenly as is possible. The placement of specific Former Sterling Directors by class shall be as determined by Sterling, and the placement of specific Former Provident Directors by class shall be as determined by Provident, in each case subject to the preceding sentence. Each of the Former Provident Directors and Former Sterling Directors shall serve on committees of the Board of Directors, consistent with their expertise and interest, and based on the needs of the Board of Directors and the requirements of such positions. At, or immediately after, the Effective Time, the committees of the Board of Directors shall be reconstituted, with members of the committees and their respective chairpersons to be recommended by the Chairman of the Board of Directors at, or immediately after, the Effective Time, in accordance with Article III, Section 1 of these Bylaws.

(c) The removal of Jack Kopnisky or Louis J. Cappelli from, or the failure to appoint or re-elect Jack Kopnisky or Louis J. Cappelli to, any of the positions specifically provided for in this Section 10, and any amendment to or termination of any employment agreement with Jack Kopnisky or the Service and Covenant Agreement with Louis J. Cappelli, prior to the three year anniversary of the Effective Time, and any determination not to nominate Jack Kopnisky or Louis J. Cappelli as a director of the Corporation, prior to the three year anniversary of the Effective Time, shall each require the affirmative vote of at least 75% of the full Board of Directors.

(d) The provisions of this Section 10 may be modified, amended or repealed, and any Bylaw provision inconsistent with the provisions of this Section 10 may be adopted, only by an affirmative vote of at least 75% of the full Board of Directors. In the event of any inconsistency between any provision of this Section 10 and any other provision of these Bylaws or the Corporation’s other constituent documents, the provisions of this Section 10 shall control.

 

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ARTICLE III - COMMITTEES

 

Section 1. Committees of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors, by a vote of a majority of the Board of Directors, may from time to time designate committees of the Board, with such lawfully delegable powers and duties as it thereby confers, to serve at the pleasure of the Board and shall, for these committees and any others provided for herein, elect a Director or Directors to serve as the member or members, designating, if it desires, other Directors as alternate members who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Committees and committee membership shall be recommended to the Board of Directors by the Chairman of the Board of Directors. In the absence or disqualification of any member of any committee and any alternate member in his or her place, the member or members of the committee present at the meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or she or they constitute a quorum, may by unanimous vote appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in the place of the absent or disqualified member.

 

Section 2. Conduct of Business.

Each committee may determine the procedural rules for meeting and conducting its business and shall act in accordance therewith, except as otherwise provided herein or required by law. Adequate provision shall be made for notice to members of all meetings; one-third (1/3) of the members shall constitute a quorum unless the committee shall consist of three (3) members, in which case two (2) members shall constitute a quorum, or unless the committee shall consist of one (1) or two (2) members, in which event one (1) member shall constitute a quorum; and all matters shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present. Action may be taken by any committee without a meeting if all members thereof consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of the proceedings of such committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic from if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

Section 3. Nominating Committee.

The Board of Directors shall appoint a committee of the Board, consisting of not less than three (3) members, which shall have authority (a) to review any nominations for election to the Board of Directors made by a stockholder of the Corporation pursuant to Section 1(B.)(c) of ARTICLE I of these Bylaws in order to determine compliance with such Bylaw and (b) to recommend to the independent Directors nominees for election to the Board of Directors to replace those Directors whose terms expire at the annual meeting of stockholders next ensuing.

 

Section 4. Participation in Meetings By Conference Telephone.

Members of any committee, with the approval of the chairperson of that committee, or the person acting in that capacity, may participate in a meeting of such committee by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other. Such participation shall constitute presence in person at such meetings.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

 

Section 1. Generally.

(a) The Board of Directors as soon as may be practicable after the annual meeting of stockholders shall choose a Chairman of the Board, a President, one or more Vice Presidents, and a Secretary and from time to time may choose such other officers as it may deem proper. Either the Chairman of the Board or the President may be designated by the Board of Directors as the Chief Executive Officer. The Chairman of the Board shall be chosen from among the Directors. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.

 

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(b) The term of office of all Officers shall be until the next annual election of Officers and until their respective successors are chosen but any Officer may be removed from office at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the authorized number of Directors then constituting the Board of Directors (without prejudice to contract rights under any employment agreement that may have been entered into).

(c) All Officers chosen by the Board of Directors shall have such powers and duties as generally pertain to their respective Offices, subject to the specific provisions of this ARTICLE IV. Such officers shall also have such powers and duties as from time to time may be conferred by the Board of Directors or by any committee thereof.

 

Section 2. Chairman of the Board of Directors.

The Chairman of the Board shall, subject to the provisions of these Bylaws and to the direction of the Board of Directors, when present, preside at all meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation and of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that the Chairman shall not, by reason of such office, be considered an executive officer of the Corporation and, unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, shall not be assigned executive responsibilities or participate in the full operational management of the Corporation. The Chairman of the Board shall perform all duties and have all powers commonly incident to a Chairman position, including those which are expressly delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 3. Chief Executive Officer; President.

(a) The Chief Executive Officer shall have general responsibility for the management and control of the business and affairs of the Corporation and shall perform all duties and have all powers which are commonly incident to the office of Chief Executive Officer or which are delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors. Subject to the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer shall have power to sign all stock certificates, contracts and other instruments of the Corporation which are authorized and shall have general supervision of all of the other Officers (other than the Chairman of the Board), employees and agents of the Corporation.

(b) The President shall perform the duties and exercise the powers which are delegated to him or her by the Board of Directors or which are usually incident to the office of the President. If the President is not also the Chief Executive Officer then he or she shall perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer in his or her absence or during his or her inability to act.

 

Section 4. Vice President.

The Vice President or Vice Presidents shall perform the duties and exercise the powers usually incident to their respective offices and/or such other duties and powers as may be properly assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, the President or the Chief Executive Officer. A Vice President or Vice Presidents may be designated as Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President.

 

Section 5. Secretary.

The Secretary or Assistant Secretary shall issue notices of meetings, shall keep their minutes, shall have charge of the seal and the corporate books, shall perform such other duties and exercise such other powers as are usually incident to such office and/or such other duties and powers as are properly assigned thereto by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer. Subject to the direction of the Board of Directors, the Secretary shall have the power to sign all stock certificates.

 

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Section 6. Assistant Secretaries and Other Officers.

The Board of Directors may appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries and such other Officers who shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as are provided in these Bylaws or as may be assigned to them by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

Section 7. Action with Respect to Securities of Other Corporations.

Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or any Officer of the Corporation authorized by the Chief Executive Officer shall have power to vote and otherwise act on behalf of the Corporation, in person or by proxy, at any meeting of stockholders of or with respect to, any action of stockholders of any other corporation in which this Corporation may hold securities and otherwise to exercise any and all rights and powers which this Corporation may possess by reason of its ownership of securities in such other corporation.

ARTICLE V - STOCK

 

Section 1. Certificates of Stock.

Each stockholder shall be entitled to a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or any Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, certifying the number of shares owned by him or her. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be by facsimile.

The Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of its stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation.

 

Section 2. Transfers of Stock.

Transfers of stock shall be made only upon the transfer books of the Corporation kept at an office of the Corporation or by transfer agents designated to transfer shares of the stock of the Corporation. Except where a certificate is issued in accordance with Section 4 of ARTICLE V of these Bylaws, an outstanding certificate for the number of shares involved shall be surrendered for cancellation before a new certificate is issued therefor.

 

Section 3. Record Date.

In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders, or to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted and which record date shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of any meeting of stockholders, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to the time for such other action as hereinbefore described; provided, however, that if no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which the meeting is held, and, for determining stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or rights or to exercise any rights of change, conversion or exchange of stock or for any other purpose, the record date shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts a resolution relating thereto.

A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

 

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Section 4. Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Certificates.

In the event of the loss, theft or destruction of any certificate of stock, another may be issued in its place pursuant to such regulations as the Board of Directors may establish concerning proof of such loss, theft or destruction and concerning the giving of a satisfactory bond or bonds of indemnity.

 

Section 5. Regulations.

The issue, transfer, conversion and registration of certificates of stock shall be governed by such other regulations as the Board of Directors may establish.

ARTICLE VI - NOTICES

 

Section 1. Notices.

If mailed, notice to stockholders shall be deemed given when deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders may be given by electronic transmission in the manner provided in Section 232 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

 

Section 2. Waivers.

A written waiver of any notice, signed by a stockholder, Director, Officer, employee or agent, or waiver by electronic transmission by such person, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to the notice required to be given to such stockholder, Director, Officer, employee or agent. Neither the business nor the purpose of any meeting need be specified in such a waiver.

ARTICLE VII - MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 1. Facsimile Signatures.

In addition to the provisions for use of facsimile signatures elsewhere specifically authorized in these Bylaws, facsimile signatures of any officer or officers of the Corporation may be used whenever and as authorized by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof.

 

Section 2. Corporate Seal.

The Board of Directors may provide a suitable seal, containing the name of the Corporation, which seal shall be in the charge of the Secretary. If and when so directed by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, duplicates of the seal may be kept and used by the Treasurer or by an Assistant Secretary or an assistant to the Treasurer.

 

Section 3. Reliance Upon Books, Reports and Records.

Each Director, each member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors, and each Officer of the Corporation shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of its Officers or employees, or committees of the Board of Directors so designated, or by any other person as to matters which such Director or committee member reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.

 

Section 4. Fiscal Year.

The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on December 31 of every year.

 

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Section 5. Time Periods.

In applying any provision of these Bylaws which requires that an act be done or not be done a specified number of days prior to an event or that an act be done during a period of a specified number of days prior to an event, calendar days shall be used, the day of the doing of the act shall be excluded, and the day of the event shall be included.

ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS

The Board of Directors may amend, alter or repeal these Bylaws at any meeting of the Board. The stockholders shall also have power to amend, alter or repeal these Bylaws at any meeting of stockholders provided notice of the proposed change was given in the notice of the meeting; provided, however, that, notwithstanding any other provisions of the Bylaws or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote or no vote, but in addition to any affirmative vote of the holders of any particular class or series of the voting stock required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation, any Preferred Stock Designation or these Bylaws, the affirmative votes of the holders of at least 80% of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of the capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors (after giving effect to the provisions of ARTICLE FOURTH), voting together as a single class, shall be required to alter, amend or repeal any provisions of these Bylaws.

 

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